Fontana Unified School District’s tradition of sharing holiday cheer with local families will continue with its 26th annual Fontana Santas Toy Distribution. The Fontana Santas Toy Drive will culminate with a drive-thru event, to be held from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 16 at the District office where families in need identified by schools will enjoy a festive holiday celebration as they receive age-appropriate gifts. Donations of unwrapped toys and gift cards can be dropped off at the Fontana School Police Department, located at the District Office, 9680 Citrus Ave., Building 9, Fontana.
Shull Elementary School students and their parents took an intergalactic journey through a solar system of literature, exploring new worlds and learning new words during the school’s inaugural Family Reading Night on Nov. 14. With its theme of “Blast Off Into Reading,” the Shull community reaffirmed its commitment to literacy, with a night of fun, food and fiction. More than 250 Shull community members attended the reading night, where students read books, took Accelerated ¬Reader quizzes, posed for photos behind a space backdrop, enjoyed snacks and listened to Shull reading ¬intervention teachers conduct “read-alouds” of their favorite books. Several BUSD schools have held similar family reading nights throughout the fall. Bonita Unified’s emphasis on boosting reading comprehension across all grade levels has earned the District a No. 1 ranking on the California Reading Coalition’s California Reading Report Card for two consecutive years.
Covina-Valley Unified students will kick off the holiday season with Colt Christmas, a free community and school event held at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 14 at Covina High. The event will feature performances by students from Grovecenter, Manzanita, Rowland Avenue, and Workman Avenue elementary schools, Traweek Middle School, and Covina High School. Students and the community are invited to take part in a variety of holiday-inspired activities including ornament making, gift wrapping, sledding, a tree lighting, live reindeer, gingerbread house making, and more. Covina High is located at 463 S. Hollenbeck Ave., Covina.
Four Fontana Unified School District high school students have distinguished themselves as some of the best high school musicians across Southern California, earning spots in Pasadena City College’s 2024 Tournament of Roses Honor Band. Henry J. Kaiser High School senior David Mireles (marching snare drum), sophomore Liliana Lobo (euphonium) and Jurupa Hills High School senior Antonio De La Torre (baritone sax) and sophomore Diego Muro (clarinet) all qualified to march with the Tournament of Roses Honor Band in the 135th edition of the iconic Rose Parade on New Year’s Day.
Covina High School students prepare to join California’s biggest industry – agriculture – by engaging in hands-on learning at the on-campus farm and greenhouse, where they can work with real animals and plants. The California School Boards Association recognized the Agriculture and Animal Science programs with a distinguished Golden Bell award on Nov. 30, celebrating Covina High’s program and its excellence. Through the four-year agriculture program, students learn how to be smart consumers and gain first-hand experience in animal care and gardening.
Fontana Unified School District will host a dedication ceremony of the O’Day Short Family Unity Garden to commemorate the lives of O’Day, Helen, Carol Ann and Barry Short. The unity garden will also serve as a symbol of an ongoing commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion by Randall Pepper Elementary School and the greater Fontana Unified community. The Short family is remembered for breaking Fontana’s color barrier in 1945. All four members of the African-American family died after their house burst into flames on Dec. 16, 1945. The Short family purchased and began building a home on a vacant, five-acre lot at Randall Avenue and Pepper Avenue in Fontana at a time when African-Americans were forbidden to live south of Baseline Avenue. The Short family received threats of violence and offers from the Chamber of Commerce to buy back the property before their house was set ablaze. An arson investigator hired by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) determined the fire was deliberately set from the exterior, according to a 2016 article from the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin. Randall Pepper Elementary School was later built on the site in 1950.
C-VUSD Middle School Students Learn to Thrive with Etiquette Training
Middle school students from across Covina-Valley Unified School District came together for an enriching session on etiquette principles and table manners on Nov. 4. The event culminated in a wonderful family brunch, where students showcased their new skills. The etiquette workshop provided students with essential skills for excelling in various social situations. Thirty-eight students from Traweek, Sierra Vista and Las Palmas middle schools participated, gaining a thorough understanding of key dining etiquette practices.
El Monte Union High School District’s male students honed their leadership abilities through workshops during the District’s inaugural California Boys Acquiring Lifelong Learner Educational Resources On Success (CABALLEROS) event on Nov. 18 at El Monte High School, which included keynote speakers and activities geared toward personal growth and success. The engaging workshops covered essential topics such as image and etiquette, mental health, physical fitness and financial literacy. Attendees were also treated to a continental breakfast and nutritious lunch, where they took part in a rotating lunch activity, and received commemorative event T-shirts.
Whittier High School senior Julia Rae Rodriguez will be the featured reader during a spoken word event that will honor Cardinal alumni who have gone on to become published writers, to be held from 1 to 2:30 p.m., Wednesday Dec. 6, in the campus library. Rodriguez will read from her recently released first collection of poems, Dried Lavender & Sage. After Rodriguez’s reading, the school will unveil a display case honoring authors who have graduated from Whittier High, including best-selling thriller writer John Saul. The display case will hold one book from nearly two dozen writers, including Rodriguez’s book of poems. Whittier High School is located at 12417 E. Philadelphia St., Whittier.
Hacienda La Puente Unified High School Hosts Annual Open House
La Puente High School will host its annual open house from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 6, inviting current and future Warrior families to take a tour of the campus, meet teachers and administrators and learn about curriculum and programs offered at the school, including career technical education pathways, JROTC and the Golden Bell-award winning Project LEAD. La Puente High visual and performing arts students will provide entertainment. La Puente High is located at 15615 E. Nelson Ave., La Puente.
